When her powers decided to switch she…

That was a little more than just powers switching.

And Lee was very glad now that Michael’s powers hadn’t shifted when they had been sparring. There had been enough mutant abilities on display, and being recorded, as it was.

Tarin suddenly seemed very interested in Michael’s powers. Asking questions and suggesting that maybe eventually Michael might be able to control it.

To control a power that literally turned Michael into another person. Lee looked over at Tarin. Despite her assurances that she didn’t think a full merge would ever happen because he’d never even felt the sensation of it trying to happen, apparently it was still present in Tarin’s mind.

Maybe they should talk about that again at some point, Lee thought. But it was definitely not the time for any of that to be brought up. Not with Michael in the shop.

So Lee let Tarin ask his questions and hoped that whatever Michael said in answer wouldn’t make things worse in Tarin’s mind regarding merging.

Ranger nodded to Tarin, ”Extremely. Especially when it jus’... happens.” Then she bounced her head left to right while considering how to address what Tarin had said next. ”Maybe? I have less control now than before Travis dorked up my power, but I never had great control. It jus’ sort of happens. Its generally jus’ been reactive t’ my needs. The more stress the more pronounced the effect. Generally it was fight ‘r flight related.”

A sip of coffee and looking up at the ceiling as Ranger thought back to how her power had been behaving the last while, ”Now… It’s actin’ more like it has a mind ‘f its own. Sometimes things jus’ happen, even when they almost feel more social than survival. Which fits with the other odd thing since Travis whammied me. Sometimes, my body jus’ moves. Even in the fight with Lee, there were a couple times y’ should’ve got me, Lee, but my body jus’ moved… perfectly. Like it had acted on its own t’ protect itself.”

What Michael described when she agreed with Tarin about her powers did sound jarring. Even more so than what Tarin had thought when he’d asked.

Michael thought there might be a chance at control though, that she’d had more control before that person, who was named Travis, had messed with her power.

As she kept talking and explaining how her powers seemed to have taken on a life of their own, Tarin had to remind himself that they were talking about someone else. Someone else who had totally different powers than he did that didn’t even really work similarly to what his did. It was still easy to make the jump though.

The fact that Michael’s powers had a mind of their own, that they reacted on their own to move her when she was in certain situations.

”It must be awful…” Tarin said sympathetically, ”To not know if you’re the one doing things, or if it’s just something inside you.”

Michael’s powers seemed to be fight or flight related. Though, that did really make quite a bit of sense. Kevin’s powers had emerged and ‘saved’ him when he was about to get hit by a ball.

Even her own, the siphoning which worked all the time unless she consciously turned it off now that she was able to, or the speed and strength, must react to fight or flight as well; she’d always found that he tended to siphon more, and move faster, when she was angry or scared.

But if Lee hadn’t been sure before that Tarin was asking Michael questions about control of her powers while thinking of merging, she was now. There really wasn’t much else Tarin could be referring to with talking about not knowing whether it was him doing something or not.

But again, that was for later unless Tarin brought it up more directly with Michael there.

”I was rather surprised with a few of the blocks you made,” Lee admitted. ”I just figured it was your speed combined with the training you’ve obviously had.”

Was it awful? Well it certainly wasn’t great not knowing if Ranger was in control or just her power doing things through her. Ranger shrugged, ”I don’t think too much about it. Plus it only seems t’ do one of a couple things. Other than controlin’ when an’ t’ what degree I get my power, it looks like it can step in t’ create perfect movements… Block a hit, throw somethin’... That kind ‘f thing. Or it seems t’ subtly move me. I never learned t’ move in this new body. Different leg length, different center of gravity, different reach. I jus’ sort ‘f move correctly most ‘f the time.” Ranger waved her hands in a waffling motion, ”It’s more like it jus’ exists t’ help with whatever dumb situation I get myself in over my head in.”

To Lee Ranger said, ”Most ‘f my blocks were. There were a few though that I moved before there was even a chance f’r me t’ realize I needed t’ move. When my power moves me, it is always the exact right movement t’ manage whatever the threat is. From what I’ve seen, it is extremely limited. Only ever happened maybe three to five times in any single fight before.”

Tarin nodded as Michael explained that she never really thought much about it when her powers kicked in and took things over. It sounded like whenever these things happened Michael was fully conscious and aware of it happening, so it made sense.

It was also incredibly interesting just how reactive the powers were. Michael’s powers must have been lightning fast to react that way. The fact that she said her body could just move itself to help in dangerous situations was definitely helpful…especially considering Michaels profession.

Probably even more impressive, at least to Tarin, was the fact that Lee had absolutely held her own against those kinds of powers in the brawl she’d had with Michael.

Tarin waited for Michael to finish what she was saying to Lee, then Tarin said,

”Maybe now you’ll admit how good you are.” with a pointed look in Lee’s direction.

A reactive power that worked to help protect you in dangerous situations. That could move your body to block something before you were even aware of the need to block.

Even though the idea of something else, something inside you controlling your body was at best scary due to merges, there was a definite part of Lee that thought something like what Michael was describing would be extremely helpful. At the very least, it would have saved Lee from some pretty nasty bruises over the years.

”Maybe now you’ll admit how good you are.”

”I never said I was bad,” Lee replied, her voice soft as she looked back at Tarin. ”I just said that Michael clearly had far more actual training than I have.”

And she still hadn't admitted it. Lee just hoped that they'd latch on to her lack of training, out better yet, change topics completely.

Clearly there had been prior discussions about how good of a fighter Lee was. At least it seemed so from what Tarin said.

”Can confirm. Y’r good.” Ranger said with a nod. ”I’ve years of formal trainin’ coupled with fights that were life ‘r death. Y’ heald y’ own an’ even put me on the ropes at times.”

Ranger took a drink when an idea struck her. ”I’ve an old friend, well, new-old--Deagin’ is a mess--I’ve helped expand her world when it comes t’ fightin’. She could use another sparin’ partner that has experience an’ willin’ t’ go full tilt. I could introduce y’ if y’r interested.” Quin could certainly benefit from two people throwing her around the mat.

Michael reinforced both of their points and Tarin figured that he was going to have to be happy with a stalemate in this case. That was fine, Lee had admitted that she wasn’t bad, which was almost as good as her saying she was good. This time Tarin didn’t say anything, but he did level yet another look in Lee’s direction.

It seemed as though Michael had another suggestion though, another person that Lee could spar with. Tarin tried not to be apprehensive about it, hopefully they weren’t as…intense as Michael was in the ring. He knew how much Lee wanted people to spar with though and if Michael said that this person was a good option, Tarin would believe him. What was ‘deagin’ though? Something from this side of the rift that he hadn’t encountered in six years?

”Benefits all around.” Tarin said.

Lee had felt good during her sparring match with Michael, felt like she was doing well against her. But to hear Michael verbally confirm that she was good and had held her own…

Well, Tarin telling her that she was good and impressive in the ring had felt good, but Michael telling her just hit differently. Like she had been doing the right thing with her training despite what the trainers and guys at the gym had said over the years.

And Michael knew someone else who could be a good sparring partner for Lee. And who Lee could be good to help teach and expand her skills? That was a surprise. Other than Kevin, Lee had never once even really considered that she might teach someone how to fight. She didn’t have ‘training’, as had often been pointed out to her, so how could she teach?

”I can’t say I’d be able to go full tilt often,” Lee said, glancing over at Tarin before turning back to Michael. ”I was in rough shape after our match. But I’d appreciate an introduction.”

There was a chirp from Ranger’s phone. She waited a beat, letting Lee finish speaking. She would love an introduction.

”Yeah, let me get y’r number an’ I’ll see what I can do.” Ranger produced her phone and after unlocking the screen rolled her eyes at what she saw.”Of course. Work calls.” Ranger quickly downed the rest of her drink. ”Word of advice. Don’ ever run a business that handles security.” Ranger swiped a few times before handing her phone over to Lee for her to just put in her own contact information.

Michael was going to see what she could do to get Lee and this other woman introduced as possible sparring partners.

But apparently work was calling, and Lee laughed at Michael’s advice. ”That will never be an issue,” Lee replied as she took Michael’s phone to punch her number in. Enough seemed to happen in her life without inviting in the issues that a security company would involve.

”Thanks,” Lee continued as she handed the phone back to the other woman. ”It was good to run into you again.”

Lee took the phone and put her number in it and thanked Ranger.

”Yeah, you too.” Ranger looked at her phone then stashed it. ”We’ll have t’ meet up again. I’ll text when I have a chance.”

Ranger finished her drink and made her way t’ the door. ”Hasta la bye-bye.” Ranger said with a wave.